Torch Trust

After attending the CRE Exhibition since its inception, we took the decision for CRE 2009 to ‘up our game’ with a higher profile, larger stand and interactive experiences as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations.

Alongside these celebrations we also continued to roll out a new initiative called “Foursight for the Church”.

Raising awareness of sight loss in an interactive and novel way engaged people and led naturally to them asking how their own church could be more inclusive. That’s where “Foursight for the Church” comes in. To date almost 600 people have signed up for the resources we offer without charge.

There are lots of missions competing for the attention of church leaders. But at CRE people come specifically to engage with the exhibition and are interested in talking, researching, listening and seeing what’s on offer!

And that level of engagement is why we will be back at CRE 2010, this time as part of a presence within the ‘Churches for All’ Zone, raising awareness of wider disability issues.

Gopak

Gopak took a stand at the very first CRE held at the Horticultural Halls in London. It was a tiny stand and with folding tables to display, it was a challenge to show our visitors the products but we decided to re-book for the next year and have done so every year since.

I think it was in 1985 that we had heavy snowfall during the show and as a young girl from the downs of Kent, I was enchanted by the city under a blanket of snow.

In those days, a colleague and I would drive the van, set up the stand ourselves, man it for the duration and then take it all down again. Thank goodness times have moved on and we now use a stand contractor to do the hard work!

We have always had a good presence at Sandown Park and fortunately over the years we have managed to obtain a larger stand and now have an excellent position just outside the Horsewalk Room. This gives us the opportunity to show a really wide selection of products including our Gopak folding tables, stacking and folding chairs and our latest product, the Ultralight Staging System.

We have met many interesting people over the years during our presence at the Christian Resources Exhibitions and have many loyal supporters of our products. Many conversations start with “your folding tables are wonderful, I don’t know what our church would do without them”. One conversation I recall was with a jolly magician, who was also a fellow exhibitor. “I love your tables” he told me. “I use one to lie on when I do my trick which involves me being sawn in half” He was a big man too!!

We look forward to continuing to support this excellent exhibition which gives us the opportunity to talk to our existing customers and meet new ones at least once a year.

Just Cards Direct

Just Cards Direct, a Kingdom business that imports and sells handmade cards from Africa and printed cards from the UK & Australia, is attending its 2^nd International CRE in May.

"We exhibited at CRE for the first time last year," says Anne Horrobin, Director of JCD. "It was a tremendous success for us, and we made contact with Phil Prior, from Wycliffe Bible Translators.  Through our charity Christmas cards, we were able to raise money for Wycliffe for their work in translating the bible into many languages.  We also partnered with Christian Blind Mission and Ellel Ministries in 2009".

Just Cards Direct is passionate about the link between business and mission.  Anne says, "Through the sale of our cards, we help to provide sustainable jobs for around 100 individuals and their families in Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa.  The regular income gives dignity and hope for people who have been impoverished and downtrodden.  They are able to provide their children with education and healthcare, and put food on the table.  In addition, the sale of the cards they make, and those we print ourselves, means we can donate money to Christian charities, helping further spread God's message of Love & Hope to a needy world".

This year, Just Cards Direct is looking for contacts with more mission-based Charities, with a view to raising money for them through Christmas card sales. 

Just Cards Direct provides free flyers for the charities, which they can add to one of their mailings.  JCD processes the order and donates 10% of the sales to the Charity.

If you are part of, or know of a charity who may be interested in such a partnership, contact Just Cards Direct on 01252 797376, or by email: sales@justcardsdirect.com.  Alternatively, come to stall E64 at CRE International in May 2010.